U.S. patent application number 10/729162 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-09 for system and method for custom color design.
Invention is credited to Walker, Eric.
Application Number | 20050122543 10/729162 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34633870 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050122543 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Walker, Eric |
June 9, 2005 |
System and method for custom color design
Abstract
Electronic document design systems and methods allowing a user
to generate many different color image versions from a
grayscale-based image. Grayscale images are stored as patterns and
applied as pattern fill of markup language shapes. When a grayscale
image is applied as pattern fill, the original black and white
color components of the grayscale image are replaced with the two
colors specified by the pattern fill element and a color version of
the image based on the two colors is displayed to the user as the
content of the shape. By changing the colors associated with the
pattern fill element, many different color variations of the image
can be produced and displayed for user review. One or more color
selection tools are provided to allow the user to select different
pairs of colors to be used to generate color image versions.
Inventors: |
Walker, Eric; (Weymouth,
MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
VISTA PRINT USA INC.
100 HAYDEN AVENUE
LEXINGTON
MA
02421
US
|
Family ID: |
34633870 |
Appl. No.: |
10/729162 |
Filed: |
December 5, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
358/1.18 ;
358/1.15 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 1/622 20130101;
H04N 1/465 20130101; G06T 11/001 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
358/001.18 ;
358/001.15 |
International
Class: |
G06K 015/00; G06F
015/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A computer-implemented method for generating a color image in a
computer browser program, the method comprising: associating at
least one color with a markup language element capable of accepting
content, applying a grayscale image as content of the element, and
modifying the content image by applying the at least one color
associated with the element as at least one color component of the
content image.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: displaying at least
the modified content image to a user of the computer browser
program, providing a plurality of color groups, allowing the user
to select a group from the plurality of groups, after the selection
of a group by the user, modifying the content image by replacing at
least one of the color components of the content image with at
least one of the colors in the selected group, and displaying the
newly modified content image to the user.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising: displaying at least
the modified content image to a user of the computer browser
program, providing a color palette containing a plurality of
individually selectable colors, allowing the user to select a color
from the palette, after the selection of a color by the user,
modifying the content image by replacing one of the color
components of the content image with the selected color, and
displaying the newly modified content image to the user.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the element is a shape and the
grayscale image is applied as pattern fill content of the
shape.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising: incorporating the
content image into an electronic product design, and displaying the
electronic product design to a user.
6. A color image system for use with a computer executing a browser
program, the system comprising: one or more grayscale images, one
or more markup language elements capable of accepting content and
having at least one associated color attribute, and means for
applying a grayscale image as content of an element such that the
at least one color attribute of the element is applied as at least
one color component of the content image.
7. The system of claim 6 further comprising: at least one color
selection tool, means for allowing a user to select at least one
color with the color selection tool, and means for applying the at
least one selected color as at least one color component of the
content image.
8. The system of claim 6 wherein the element is a markup language
shape and the grayscale image is applied as a pattern fill of the
shape.
9. The system of claim 6 further comprising: means for
incorporating the content image into an electronic product design,
and means for displaying the electronic product design to a
user.
10. A color image generation program adapted to execute in a
browser program running on a computer, the program comprising:
computer code adapted to apply a grayscale image as content of a
markup language element capable of accepting content and having at
least one associated color attribute such that the at least one
color associated with the element is applied as at least one color
component of the content image.
11. The program of claim 10 further comprising: computer code
adapted to display at least the content image to a user of the
computer, computer code adapted to display at least one color
selection tool to the user, and computer code, responsive to the
selection of one or more colors by the user, adapted to modify the
content image by applying the one or more selected colors as one or
more color components of the content image.
12. The program of claim 10 further comprising: computer code
adapted to incorporate the content image into an electronic product
design, and computer code adapted to display the electronic product
design to the user.
13. A color image generation program stored on a server system and
adapted to download to a user computer and execute in a browser
program of the user computer, the program comprising: computer code
adapted to apply a grayscale image as content of a markup language
element capable of accepting content and having at least one
associated color attribute such that the at least one color
associated with the element is applied as at least one color
component of the content image.
14. The program of claim 13 further comprising: computer code
adapted to display at least the content image to a user of the
computer computer code adapted to display at least one color
selection tool to the user, and computer code, responsive to the
selection of one or more colors by the user, adapted to modify the
content image by applying the one or more selected colors as one or
more component colors of the content image.
15. The program of claim 13 further comprising: computer code
adapted to incorporate the content image into an electronic product
design, and computer code adapted to display the electronic product
design to the user.
16. A computer-implemented method of displaying an electronic
product design at a computer executing a browser program, the
method comprising: receiving electronic product design information,
the information including at least one markup language element
capable of accepting content, at least one grayscale image, and
identifiers of a plurality of colors, and processing the received
information in the browser program to display an electronic product
design to a user, the electronic design including at least one
element filled with a color image generated by replacing at least
one color component of the grayscale image with at least one color
from the plurality of colors.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising: allowing the user of
the computer to select one or more colors from the plurality of
colors, after selection of the one or more colors, modifying the
product design by applying the one or more user-selected colors as
one or more color components of at least the color image, and
displaying the modified displayed electronic design to the user.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to
computer-implemented automated electronic product design.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many individuals, businesses, and organizations occasionally
have a need for custom materials, such as birth announcements,
party invitations, product or service brochures, promotional
postcards, personalized holiday cards, or any number of other
items. Some of these individuals and businesses turn to sources
such as a local print shop for assistance in preparing the
materials. Those having access to a suitable computer may perform
the product design process themselves using any of the various
specialized software products available for purchase and
installation on an appropriate computer system or by using a
Web-based printing service provider that takes advantage of the
capabilities of the Web and modern Web browsers to provide document
design services from any computer with Web access at whatever time
and place is convenient to the user. Computerized systems typically
provide their customers with the ability to access and view
pre-designed product templates, select a desired template, and
enter information to create a customized product design.
[0003] The use of pre-designed electronic product templates imposes
various limitations and constraints on the flexibility of the
product design system and its usefulness to many customers.
Traditionally, a designer employed by the template provider
individually designs each template by defining all of the various
details of the template, such as the size and position of all image
and text areas in the template; selecting, cropping and positioning
images; defining colors to be used for template elements having a
color attribute, and so forth. The template designer adjusts the
various elements until the designer is satisfied with the overall
appearance of the template. User editing is usually limited to
allowing the user to add, modify and position text and perhaps
upload images to be added to the product design.
[0004] Not only is this prior art template design approach time
consuming and a significant expense for the template provider, it
limits the user's ability to customize the colors used in the
product being designed. There is a need for a flexible electronic
product customization system that allows a template provider to
give users the ability to exercise extensive control over the
colors used in the product being designed.
SUMMARY
[0005] The present invention is directed to satisfying the need for
computer implemented systems and methods providing flexible
electronic product design tools that allow a user increased ability
to select and control the colors used in a product being
designed.
[0006] In accordance with the invention, a grayscale image is
treated as a pattern and is used as the pattern fill of a markup
language shape. The pattern fill element provides for the
specification of two colors to be used in rendering the pattern.
One of the two specified colors is applied as the white component
of the grayscale image and the other color is applied as the black
component, resulting in the pattern being displayed in combinations
of the two specified colors. One or more tools are provided to
allow a user of the system to select alternate colors to be applied
to the pattern.
[0007] It is a feature of the invention that the pattern is stored
in grayscale format.
[0008] It is another feature of the invention that the colors used
to create color versions of the grayscale image are determined by
the color attributes of the pattern fill element.
[0009] It is an advantage of the invention that the colors used to
render the pattern can be readily modified by changing the pattern
fill color attributes.
[0010] It is another advantage of the invention that the template
provider does not need to develop and store multiple differently
colored versions of a pattern image.
[0011] These and other objects, features and advantages of the
invention will be better understood with reference to the
accompanying drawings, description and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system with which
the invention may be employed.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a product selection
display presented to a user engaged in designing an electronic
document.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a representation of a user display depicting three
color control tools.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a representation of a user display depicting the
use of the first color control tool.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a representation of a user display depicting the
use of the second color control tool.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a representation of a user display depicting the
use of the third color control tool.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary user computer system UCS
100 includes processor 101 and memory 102. Memory 102 represents
all UCS 100 components and subsystems that provide data storage,
such as RAM, ROM, and hard drives. In addition to providing
permanent storage for all programs installed on UCS 100, memory 102
also provides temporary storage required by the operating system
and the applications while they are executing. In a preferred
embodiment, UCS 100 is a typically equipped personal computer, but
UCS 100 could also be a portable computer, a tablet computer or
other device. The user views images from UCS 100 on display 140,
such as a CRT or LCD screen, and provides inputs to UCS 100 via
input devices 150, such as a keyboard and a mouse.
[0019] When UCS 100 is operating, an instance of the USC 100
operating system will be running, represented in FIG. 1 by
operating system 103. In addition, the user may be running one or
more application programs. In FIG. 1, UCS 100 is running Web
browser 105, such as Internet Explorer from Microsoft Corporation.
Other applications that may be running in USC 100, such as
spreadsheet, e-mail, and presentation programs, are represented as
applications 104. In the depicted embodiment, design tool 106 is a
product design program downloaded to UCS 100 via network 120 from
remote server 110, such as downloadable design tools provided by
VistaPrint Limited and publicly available at vistaprint.com. Design
tool 106 runs in browser 105 and allows the user to prepare a
customized product design in electronic form. Alternatively, design
tool 106 could have been obtained by the user from memory 102 or
from another local source. When the customer is satisfied with the
design of the product, the design can be uploaded to server 110 for
storage and, if desired by the user, subsequent production of the
desired quantity of the physical product on appropriate printing
and post-print processing systems. While server 110 is shown in
FIG. 1 as a single block, it will be understood that server 110
could be multiple servers configured to communicate and operate
cooperatively.
[0020] Memory 111 represents all components and subsystems that
provide server data storage, such as RAM, ROM, and disk drives or
arrays. Template memory 112 contains the various layout information
provided by the service provider to enable the creation and
rendering of templates at UCS 100. As used in this embodiment, a
layout is an XML (extensible markup language) and VML (vector
markup language) description that specifies the size, position,
z-index, and other attributes of all product elements such as text
containers, image containers, graphics, default fonts, default
colors, and so forth. Technical details of XML and VML are publicly
available from the World Wide Web Consortium at www.w3c.org. While
the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein describes the use
of XML and VML, it will be understood that other languages could be
employed.
[0021] Of particular interest to the instant invention, VML
provides for "shape" elements that allow the designer to define and
use various common shapes, such as a circle, oval, curve, or
rectangle, or to create and use complex custom shapes. VML further
provides "fill" sub-elements allowing the designer to fill a shape
with various types of content, for example a single color, a
gradient, a picture, or a pattern. If the fill content of a shape
is identified as a pattern, the pattern fill element specifies two
colors to be used to render the pattern.
[0022] Image memory 113 represents the portion of memory 111 that
contains the content information and related attributes used in
combination with the layouts to generate various product designs.
Image memory 113 could contain photographs, textures, patterns,
graphics, or other such materials made available by the template
provider for incorporation into template designs.
[0023] Of particular relevance to the current invention are
"grayscale" images. As is well known in the art, grayscale images
are images containing multiple shades or levels of gray. Depending
on the system used to create the grayscale image, from 16 to 256
gray levels will typically be available to render the image,
ranging from white at one extreme of the range to black at the
other. Tools for creating grayscale images and for converting color
images to grayscale are widely available from Adobe Systems
Incorporated and other vendors. It will also be understood that the
use of the term "grayscale" or "grayscale image" does not
necessarily mean that the image is either stored or displayed to
the user in gray shades, but rather the terms are used herein more
broadly to refer generally to image content intended to be rendered
in multiple color tones based on the combination of two component
colors.
[0024] In a typical RGB computer monitor application, each gray
level is rendered by appropriately adjusting the monitor's RGB
levels. In a printing application, gray levels are rendered by
controlling the relative proportion of the print surface covered
with "black" relative to the amount of surface covered with
"white". In printing practice, white is not normally a printed
color and grayscale images are often printed using a single color
of ink, which of course could be any color, not just black, with
the "white" component being the absence of ink such that the color
of the underlying paper stock or other surface on which the image
is printed is visible. The various intermediate "gray" shades are
created by controlling the amount of ink coverage relative to the
amount of paper stock allowed to remain uncovered. An area of the
image that is "black" is created by fully covering the underlying
surface with ink. While grayscale images are generally thought of
in terms of shades derived by varying the combination of black and
white, any two colors could be used to print a grayscale-type image
by assigning a first color to be used in place of "white" and a
second color to be used in place of "black" with the intermediate
"gray" shades being generated by appropriately controlling the
proportions of the first and second colors.
[0025] The novel combination of grayscale images with the
attributes of markup language shapes provides the user with
extensive flexibility to choose colors for these types of images.
In the disclosed embodiment, when grayscale images are stored in
image memory 113, they are stored as .jpg files and are identified
as patterns, allowing the grayscale images to be used as pattern
fill for a markup language shape. By using a grayscale image as a
pattern fill, the colors used to render the grayscale image can be
readily controlled by means of the color attributes associated with
the pattern fill element. In this manner, the image can be rendered
in an enormous number of color combinations simply by changing the
colors associated with the appropriate pattern fill element. In the
disclosed embodiment, the image of the product template is
generated by design tool 106 in the browser, allowing the user's
requested color changes to occur very quickly and avoiding the need
for communication with the server. It will be understood by those
of skill in the art that alternate embodiments are possible, such
as rendering the template image at the server instead of at the
client computer.
[0026] This flexible template structure mentioned above allows the
service provider to assemble custom templates in response to user
inputs, such as keywords or other user preferences, and allows the
user to select and modify or replace individual template
components. Co-pending and co-owned U.S. application Ser. No.
10/646,554 entitled "Automated Image Resizing and Cropping", filed
Aug. 22, 2003, the complete contents of which are hereby
incorporated by reference into this application, discloses
electronic product creation and editing systems for combining
separately stored content and layouts to create custom product
designs.
[0027] FIG. 2 is a simplified representation of an introductory
product selection page being viewed by the user of UCS 100 on user
display 140. In this example, the page displays and promotes
various products available from the service provider and offers
active controls that allow the user of UCS 100 to select a desired
type of product for a more detailed presentation of design options.
By way of example, FIG. 2 shows promotional images for business
cards 210, postcards 220, stationery 230, folded cards 240, return
address labels 250, and brochures 260. Images or promotions for
fewer, different or additional products, such as presentation
folders, invitations, announcements, thank you cards, gift tags,
and so forth could also be presented along with other information
and buttons. It will be understood that the invention is not
limited to documents that are intended for eventual printing. The
invention is also applicable to the design of documents intended
for use in electronic form, such as electronic business cards,
online brochures, and templates for presentation graphics software
programs. The invention could as well be readily adapted to a wide
range of products that a user may wish to customize, such as items
of clothing, product containers, promotional goods, and so
forth.
[0028] As an illustrative example, it will be assumed that the user
of UCS 100 desires to create a personalized postcard and,
therefore, selects the postcard option, for example by clicking
with the user's mouse cursor on the postcards 220 image. The user
will then be presented with one or more additional selection
screens, not shown, from which the user can review the various
postcard categories by general theme or subject matter and then,
when the desired category is selected, review one or more pages of
thumbnail images of postcard templates prepared by the service
provider. As an alternative to providing a large gallery of
thumbnail template images for the user to scan, the service
provider could provide a keyword searching tool to allow the
service provider to display only thumbnails of templates with
images or other content corresponding to the user's search
terms.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 3, when the user selects a specific
template thumbnail that the user desires to customize, server 110
responds to the selection by downloading the corresponding layout
and content information to UCS 100. Design tool 106 receives the
layout and content information and generates a customizable
template image 300 of the selected product design, which could
contain a wide variety and number of images, colors, graphics, and
other design elements.
[0030] For simplicity of discussion, in the example shown in FIG.
3, template 300 represents one side of a postcard being designed by
a user. The design contains two image containers, also referred to
herein as image areas: a background image area 304 covering the
entire side of the postcard template and smaller image area 302
that appears over image 304. As used herein, an image area is
intended to be read broadly to indicate a container that could
contain a wide variety of possible non-text content, such as a
photograph, graphic, texture, pattern, word art, or the like. As
mentioned above, the template 300 displayed to the user is the
result of the combination of various separately stored template
component elements including container content information and the
layout specifying the size and position of the containers. The
initial template 300 is the starting point for the user's
customized product design. The user can not only add the user's
personalized text and additional images, but can also, as discussed
below, modify the colors used for image containers containing
grayscale content.
[0031] To allow the user to customize the product design, the user
is provided with template editing tools. Edit Tool Bar 306,
depicted as a dashed box in FIGS. 4-6, contains various buttons,
controls and menus allowing the user to add additional text boxes,
insert text, change the font, change font attributes, and perform
other typical editing actions. The techniques for designing and
using edit tool bars are well known in the art. Navigation buttons
Back 308 and Next 310 allow the user to move back to the previous
display screen or ahead to the next. Different or additional
navigation means could also be employed.
[0032] As will be discussed below, FIG. 3 depicts three different
color control tools, each tool being an application of the current
invention, for allowing the user to modify colors used in template
300. For the purposes of discussing alternate applications of the
invention, FIG. 3 shows all three tools being simultaneously
displayed to the user. It will be understood that it is not
necessary to employ all three tools. A service provider could opt
to provide only a single tool or a combination of tools, depending
on the level and type of color control the service provider desires
to provide to users. Depending on the level of customizing
capabilities the service provider desires to give to the user, the
service provider may also choose to provide the user with one or
more additional instructions, tools, or controls, not shown, to
facilitate user editing of template 300, such as tools for changing
the template layout, the design effects, or the font scheme.
Co-pending and co-owned U.S. application Ser. No. 10/449,836
entitled "Electronic Document Modification", filed May 20, 2003,
the complete contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference
into this application, describes a document editing system and
method using separately selectable layouts, designs, color schemes
and font schemes.
[0033] In a first tool, "Change overall color scheme" 314 is a text
button that, when selected by the user, presents a number of
available pre-designed alternate product color schemes. The user
can select one of the color schemes to be applied to the entire
product being designed. Color scheme 324 displays to the user the
color scheme currently used in template 300. Color scheme display
324 is depicted with six separate color sections in FIG. 3, but it
will be understood that the number of different colors in
individual color schemes are determined by the service provider and
the service provide could choose to display more or fewer
individual color scheme sections. Button 314 allows the user to
change the color scheme of the entire product being designed,
including all elements of the template design having a color
attribute, such text, word art, graphic elements, and so forth.
Button 314 is active whether or not a particular image area of the
template has been specifically selected by the user.
[0034] In the second depicted tool, "Change color scheme of
selected image" 316 is a text button that, when selected by the
user, presents a number of available pre-selected color pairs. The
user can select a pair to replace the pair of colors currently
applied to a selected image area in template 300. Button 316 and
color pair 326 will not be active unless an image area having
appropriate grayscale content has been selected by the user. When
an image area of template 300 containing grayscale content is
selected, color pair 326 will show the pair of colors currently
used in the selected image area.
[0035] In the third tool, "Create custom color scheme for selected
image" is an informational notice informing the user of the purpose
of buttons "Change first component color" 320 and "Change second
component color" 322. Buttons 330 and 322 and color blocks 328 and
330 will not be active unless an image area having appropriate
grayscale content has been selected by the user. When an image area
of template 300 containing grayscale pattern content is selected,
color block 328 displays the current color associated with a first
color component of the pattern in the selected image area in
template 300 and color block 330 displays the current color
associated with a second component color of the selected image.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 4, button 314 will be discussed. After the
user has clicked on button 314, the button is highlighted,
indicated by bold letters in FIG. 4, and scrollable color scheme
table 400 is displayed to the user. Table 400 contains a number of
available color groups or schemes pre-selected by the service
provider. For each color scheme 404, the table displays an
arbitrary identifying name 402, such as Caribbean, Harvest, or
Sassy, to assist the user in remembering and identifying a
particular color scheme that the user may have used in the past.
The table also displays the individual colors in the color scheme.
In the disclosed embodiment, black and white are two standard
component colors of all color schemes. Black and white color
sections are displayed in color scheme 324, but only the variable
colors of each color scheme are displayed in individual color
scheme sections 404. The user selects a new color scheme by
maneuvering the mouse cursor over a desired scheme and selecting it
with a single click. Upon selection of a new color scheme, the
selected scheme is applied to all elements of template 300 having a
color component, table 400 is closed, and color scheme 324 is
updated to reflect the newly selected color scheme. With this tool,
the template provider will have pre-selected two of the colors in
the color scheme to be applied to the grayscale image in the
template. If multiple grayscale images are used, the template
provider could apply a different pair of colors from the color
scheme to each different grayscale image.
[0037] Referring to FIG. 5, the operation of button 316 will be
discussed. In the depicted situation, the user has selected image
area 302 by double clicking with the user's mouse while the mouse
cursor was positioned over image area 302. To provide visual
feedback to the user that the area is in a selected condition,
image area 302 is displayed with a distinctive border, indicated in
FIG. 5 by dashed lines. The color pairs will be applied to a
selected container having a pattern fill. Button 316 is inactive
unless an appropriate pattern fill container has been selected by
the user for editing. If a pattern fill container is not currently
selected, the inactive state of button 316 is visually indicated to
the user, for example by displaying the button in light gray, not
shown.
[0038] If the selected image area is a shape having a pattern fill,
button 316 becomes active. In the situation depicted in FIG. 5, the
user selected image area 302 and then clicked on button 326,
indicating a desire to change the colors of the contents of image
area 302. Button 316 is highlighted, indicated by bold letters in
FIG. 5, and scrollable color pair table 500 is displayed to the
user. Table 500 contains a number of available groups of colors,
each group being a pair of colors pre-selected by the service
provider as being attractive or compatible. For each color pair 502
in table 500, an identifying name (not shown) could be employed, if
desired. Upon selection of a new color pair from table 500, the
selected colors are applied as the color attributes of the pattern
in the selected image area, table 500 is closed, and color pair 326
is updated to reflect the newly selected color pair. Image area 302
will remain selected, so the user can again select button 316 and
select another color pair, if the user desires. In response to a
change by the user in a selected image area, the template provider
may choose to retain all other colors in template 300 unchanged or
may opt to make changes to other components of template 300 to
maintain compatibility with the new colors selected by the
user.
[0039] Referring to FIG. 6, the operation of button 320 will be
discussed. As discussed above in connection with FIG. 5, the user
has selected image area 302 and the selected status of the image
area is indicated by a distinctive border, indicated in FIG. 6 by
dashed lines. Like button 316, buttons 320 and 322 will be active
only if the selected image area is a shape having an associated
pattern fill. If a pattern fill container having a pattern is not
currently selected, the inactive state of button 316 is visually
indicated to the user, for example by displaying the button in
light gray (not shown).
[0040] If the selected image area is a shape having a pattern fill,
buttons 320 and 322 become active. Color section 328 will display
one of the two colors currently associated with the pattern in the
selected image area and 330 will be display the other. In the
situation depicted in FIG. 6, the user selected image area 302 and
then clicked on button 320, indicating a desire to change the first
component color of the content of image area 302. Button 320 is
highlighted, indicated by bold letters in FIG. 6, and color
selection palette 600 is displayed to the user. While palette 600
is shown in FIG. 6 as a 6-by-6 array of color sections, it will be
understood that the service provider will typically choose to
present a palette with many more colors selectable by the user.
Various color selection tools and formats are well known in the
art.
[0041] Upon selection of a new color from palette 600, the selected
color is applied as the first color attribute of the pattern in the
selected image area, palette 600 is closed, and color section 328
is updated to reflect the newly selected color used in the image
area. The pattern in the selected image area will be based on the
newly selected first color and the existing second color, allowing
the user the freedom to use any desired pair of available colors.
Image area 302 will remain selected, so the user can again select
button 320, or button 322, and select another color, if the user
desires. In response to a color change by the user in a selected
image area, the template provider may choose to retain all other
colors in template 300 unchanged or may opt to make changes to
other components of template 300 to maintain compatibility with the
new color selected by the user. Button 322 allows the user to
select a new second component color while retaining the current
first component color. Button 322 operates in the same fashion as
button 320 and will not, therefore, be separately discussed.
[0042] The user can continue to modify colors or make other
modifications until the user is satisfied with the design of
template 300. The user can then, using Next button 310, move on to
other screens, not shown, to take additional actions as may be
appropriate to the particular product being designed, such as
customizing another side of the product, requesting that the design
be saved for later use or review, or making arrangements to create
printed copies of the designed product.
[0043] Various illustrative embodiments have been discussed, but
other alternate embodiments could also be employed. For example, it
will be understood that while embodiments of the invention have
been disclosed in the context of tools for editing an electronic
product design, it will be understood that the invention is not so
restricted and can be independently employed in other situations
where the manipulation and control of colors for grayscale-based
images is desired. Therefore, the described embodiments are to be
considered as illustrative rather than restrictive and the scope of
the invention is as indicated in the following claims and all
equivalent methods and systems.
* * * * *
References